Tommy Lewis Jr., PhD

Biography

"Mitochondria are often referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell.” However, for something important enough to gain this reputation, we still have much to learn about the various roles mitochondria play in humans. My lab focuses on the function of mitochondria in neurons during both health and disease. We are interested in learning how neurons control our brain, and what goes wrong during aging leading to devastating neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s.
Traditionally, we had to look at these cells outside the body in a dish but many times it is difficult to translate that work back into something relevant for treating human patients. We have developed a new imaging method where we can observe the function of mitochondria in living, relevant mouse models. As this research develops, we will be able to track what happens during disease progression in real-time. This may result in new avenues for understanding these traumatic diseases."

Email

Tommy-Lewis@omrf.org

Publications

Research Interests:

• Neural development
• Mitochondria
• Neurodegeneration